Inmos Factory Building

The brief required highly controlled conditions for the production of electronic microchips, with more conventionally serviced space housing offices, staff canteen and other facilities under the same roof.

The building had to be designed for fast construction (ready for operation within one year of starting on site) This resulted in a high degree of off-site fabrication but gave greater flexibility. The context of the commission was a government-backed drive to expand the British microchip industry: the need was for specialised production space, to be available at the earliest possible opportunity.

The structure is a tubular steel assisted span tension structure, supported by tension tie rods from the spine towers. The structural system provides uninterrupted column free spaces for maximum internal flexibility. The roof is fabricated from 6m span steel decking with thermal insulation and a five-layer roof membrane.

The scheme is divided into ’clean’ areas for microchip production and ‘dirty’ areas for ancillary. A central promenade of more than 100 metres act as the main circulation space within the building. Surmounted by banks of serving machinery above the spine and buttressed by the main roof masts, the building has a strong vertical emphasis.